Enrollment
950
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Silver Spring, MD
Francis Scott Key Middle
Federal NCES profile for Francis Scott Key Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 240048090453
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Francis Scott Key Middle earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median.
- #6 of 10
- middle schools in Silver Spring · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 72.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Francis Scott Key Middle has class sizes near the Maryland median. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Francis Scott Key Middle ranks #6 of 10 middle schools in Silver Spring, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048090453 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
65.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.6%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Francis Scott Key Middle compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Francis Scott Key Middle
Francis Scott Key Middle is a higher-need, large middle school in Silver Spring, Maryland, enrolling 950 students.
At 14.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Maryland median, within a few percentage points of the 14.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 950 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Among 157 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Maryland schools statewide, it ranks #6, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and African American (38%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 238 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Silver Spring's middle schools, it stands alongside Takoma Park Middle (1,177 students): Francis Scott Key Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.6:1 vs 17.3:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Francis Scott Key Middle.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Francis Scott Key Middle compares
Francis Scott Key Middle on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.6% | ▲ 48% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 950 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
950
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% above the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 52% in Maryland - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$18,101
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 238 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 42.9%
African American 37.6%
Asian 11.7%
White 5.9%
Two or More 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.7, Francis Scott Key Middle is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montgomery County Public Schools, which includes Francis Scott Key Middle.
$18,101
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.0%
State 23.7%
Federal 10.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Francis Scott Key Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walter Johnson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Francis Scott Key Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,266
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 3,016
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,794
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,441
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,409
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar middle schools in Silver Spring
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Takoma Park Middle
Standard public school
1,177 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Silver Spring International Middle
Standard public school
1,015 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
A. Mario Loiederman Middle
Standard public school
978 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Eastern Middle
Standard public school
963 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Argyle Middle
Standard public school
868 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Briggs Chaney Middle
Standard public school
858 students 13:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Maryland, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~950 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Francis Scott Key Middle's federal record.
- Compare Francis Scott Key Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Montgomery County Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Francis Scott Key Middle
How many students attend Francis Scott Key Middle?
Francis Scott Key Middle has 950 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Silver Spring, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Francis Scott Key Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Francis Scott Key Middle is 14.6:1, which is 1% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Francis Scott Key Middle?
72.6% of students at Francis Scott Key Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Francis Scott Key Middle?
The largest demographic group at Francis Scott Key Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 42.9% of enrollment, in Silver Spring, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Francis Scott Key Middle?
Francis Scott Key Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Francis Scott Key Middle rank among middle schools in Silver Spring?
By Resource Investment Index, Francis Scott Key Middle ranks #6 of 10 middle schools in Silver Spring, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Silver Spring on the city page.
Is Francis Scott Key Middle a good school?
Francis Scott Key Middle earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Maryland median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Francis Scott Key Middle, Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students), Walter Johnson High (3,016 students), and Wheaton High (2,794 students). See the Montgomery County Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.